Agents in Training
by Leila Grant
Summary: When Henry finds his beloved stuffed dog, Barty, missing from his room, he wakes up his big brother Jack to help him find it.
1. Chapter 1

**Agents in Training**

By Leila Grant

(A/N~ I do not own Criminal Minds or any of its characters. The idea for the story is original.)

Chapter 1- Stolen

"Jack! JACK! Wake up," Henry shook his best friend and older brother hard, trying to rouse him from sleep.

"Whaaa?" Jack sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Why are you awake so early, Henry? What's wrong?" He asked the younger boy, yawning.

"Someone stole my Barty!"

"Some stole your stuffed dog?" Jack was highly confused. He was certain no one had snuck into the bedroom while they slept and stolen Henry's stuffed beagle.

"When I woke up, he was gone! He's gone! I'll never see him again!" Henry sat down on the floor in his big brother's bedroom and started crying like only a four year old could. Jack crawled out of bed to comfort his brother.

"I'm sure he's just lost in your room. Let's go look," Jack said, pulling on his Captain America slippers. He took his younger brother's tiny hand and led him across the hall to his bedroom.

The duo walked into Henry's room, where Jack immediately headed for the small bed. He fluffed the blankets, looked under the bed, the pillows, anywhere the small tan and cream colored stuffed dog could be. Their daddy, Aaron Hotchner, had given it to Henry when he married his mother. Henry had been extremely attached to it ever since. He drug it everywhere, slept with it—he even bathed with it.

"See Jack, I told you! Someone stole Barty!"

Jack continued looking around the room. He searched under other toys, in the toy box, under clothes. He even looked in the cabinets of the bathroom the boys shared. There was no sign of Barty anywhere. It was almost as if the little stuffed dog had come to life and walked away on its own. Shaking his head, Jack looked at his crying little brother.

"C'mon, Henry. We've got an investigation to get underway."


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N~ This is just a two shot, and this isn't all of chapter 2, just wanted to see if you guys like where it's headed so far.)

Chapter 2—Becoming Detectives

Jack rushed back to his bedroom and headed for the large, wooden toy box at the end of his bed. Inside was a canvas, black bag with his name embroidered on the side in silver. The bag contained everything Jack needed to "work a case." He pulled out the essential items one by one; starting with his suit and tie. After putting them on, he made sure his Kid-Tuff digital camera and flashlight had batteries.

"Henry, take the camera. We're going to look for clues."

"What's cues?"  
"Not cues. CLUES. Little pieces of the puzzle that will tell us who took Barty."

"Oh. Like the game."

"Yes, exactly. When I tell you to, make sure you take a picture. We're going to catch this thief," Jack said, smiling as he straightened his clip on tie.

"Otay," Henry sniffled.

Jack led his younger brother into the hallway, where he began looking for any evidence that someone had snuck up to his room. He noticed his daddy's shoes were sitting on the landing. That meant he was up here somewhere. Maybe he'd seen something.

The boys—now detectives—walked to Aaron's office. In a very adult manner, Jack knocked on the door.

"Jack? Henry? What are you two doing up so early?" Aaron asked the boys. He noticed all their "detective" equipment and couldn't help but be amused. "Did something happen?"

"Someone stole Barty!" Henry sniffled. "Someone came in my room and took him!"

Aaron suppressed a laugh. He knew, of course, what had happened to the stuffed dog. Now the question was this: Tell them, or let them play their little game? He decided to let them play the game.

"That's awful, Henry. Who do you think took him?"

"The booger man," Henry looked down at his little feet. "And now that Barty's gone, he'll come after me, too."

"Well, I guess we should find Barty as soon as possible, then," Aaron comforted his step son.

"I'm sorry, Dad, but I need to ask you a few questions…," Jack said.

Again, Hotch tried not to laugh. "Sure, Jac—Detective. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have."

"Where were you this morning? Between the hours of…umm..four a.m. and…I guess now."

Keeping his face as stoic as possible, trying to maintain the composure he was so famous in the BAU for, Aaron Hotchner looked at his young son. "I was in bed. Asleep. Until about an hour and a half ago. Then I was in here, working."

"That's not a very tight abalie," Jack said, giving his father the best stare down he could muster.

"I think the word you're looking for is 'alibi'," Hotch said, unable to control his laughter anymore.

"This is no laughing matter!" Jack said. "Someone stole Barty!"

"I'm sorry, I know, you're right. I did not see anything suspicious or out of place, but I will certainly let you know if I do."

"I'll be watching you…," Jack said as he turned in his heel and walked out of the room. "C'mon Henry, let's go find JJ. Maybe she saw something."

The boys proceeded down the stairs to find JJ. She was standing in the kitchen, putting away dishes. Henry immediately ran to his mother, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Mommy, someone stole Barty!"

"Henry, step away from the sustect."

JJ grinned. "Do you mean 'suspect', Jack? And why am I a suspect?"

"Where were you when Barty was stolen? I know it wasn't me, I know it wasn't Henry, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't Dad. That just leaves you, JJ!" Jack put on his best serious face, trying to show JJ that he meant business.

JJ laughed at him. She just couldn't help herself. "Henry, no one stole Barty. I took him to be washed. He's in the laundry room."

"So you DID steal him!" Jack accused.

"I took him, yes, but I was going to bring him back. You guys aren't normally awake this early on a Saturday."

"Mommy you took Barty? That's not vewy nice," Henry sniffled.

"Honey, he had to be washed. I have to keep him clean for you. You know how you and Jack take a bath every day?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, Barty needs to take baths sometimes, too. As soon as he's done drying, you can have him back. Should be any minute now."

"Okay, Mommy."

JJ wiped away the tear on her son's face. "In the meantime, how about some pancakes? Chocolate chip?"

"YEAH!" Both boys shouted in unison. The family gathered around the table in their large kitchen. Once breakfast was finished and cleared away, JJ retreated to the laundry room. She brought Barty back with her.

"Here you go, little man. I promise next time, I'll let you know when I take him to be washed."

"You really mean it, Mommy?"

JJ nodded. "I really do."

fin


End file.
